The founder of the Whitehead Institute (Massachusetts) describes the issues and challenges encountered in establishing a private research institute, focusing on the evolution of the institute's affiliation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Autonomy, taxes, the differences between academic and industrial organizations, and defining…

Questioning the desirability of whether private schools should receive federal or state aid, the paper outlines how such aid can cause entanglement problems for private schools. In accepting governmental aid, private schools can lose their autonomy, including (1) the ability to select and dismiss students with autonomy, (2) the ability to advocate…

In 1994 the state of New Jersey deregulated the state higher education structure and created a new commission on higher education and a presidents' council. This report presents the findings of a 1998 survey that sought to determine the extent to which the goals of the deregulatory legislation had been achieved and whether the fears of the act's…

The trend toward greater state regulation of public higher education is discussed, along with alternative structures or models for state financing of public institutions. The situation in Washington State is briefly described as an illustration. It is proposed that interests of the state, college, and student can be enhanced by allowing colleges…

This paper examines the pace of economic and social change in the Pacific Rim region, discussing the role that universities should play in mediating such change. It addresses five major issues pertaining to the role of universities: (1) the individual university's role in human resource development; (2) the relationship between universities and…

The Estonian Minister of Education discusses recent higher education trends and developments in Central and Eastern European countries, including the growth of institutional autonomy, expansion of educational opportunity, financial issues and privatization, balancing of academic and vocational education needs, part-time and continuing education,…

This paper argues that the "Ivory Tower" stereotype of higher education no longer exists and that this is not only due to increased regulation, litigation, and unionization, but also to greater diversity, both ethnically and racially, within student bodies, faculty, and staff. It states that colleges and universities no longer operate…

The papers in this book reflect current debates on academic standards and quality assurance, and speak from the perspective of institutional leaders and national quality bodies and higher education researchers. Included are reports on the progress of several international quality initiatives and studies on the impact of external quality assurance…